First commercial iPhone app? Español | Deutsch | Français | Italiano | Português

Although developers are officially denied access to the iPhone as a platform, and restricted to Web technologies to deploy applications for the phone, it hasn't stopped people developing unofficial native applications.

CREDIT: Engadget

However as far as I know Navizon "virtual GPS" is the first commercial application. Apart from the fact that I don't think their application is worth paying for, I've knocked similar things together in Python on my Nokia in an afternoon, it seems like a risky strategy. Rumours are circulating that Apple may brick unlocked iPhones with the next firmware update, which might leave Navizon with a number of very unhappy customers. Additionally, while Apple might tolerate the open source community hacking on their new phone, will they be so forgiving of a commercial developer? This is going to be an interesting one to follow along with...

Update: Tom Robinson has a good article on alternative methods for geolocation.